November 2025 Content Wrap-Up

Once again reminded of how useful these monthly summaries are for my own aging memory, as I go back through my calendar and re-remember what I did in the past month. As a kid, my mom and my ecclesiastical leaders would often talk about the importance of journaling–for our own memory, as well as for our posterity. I’ve attempted to journal on and off for most of my life, but it never really stuck. I think this blog (which will hit its 22nd birthday in February) is the closest to a journal that I’ve come.

Another hectic month with a mix of events, holidays, and family visits. I’m also preparing to head back out onto the road this afternoon, this time traveling to Dublin, Ireland for ESPC25.

Looking back at the month, the major activity was TechCon365 Dallas, just a short 12-15 minute drive from home…which was awesome! Dave and team put on a great event, and I was able to present 3 different sessions AND moderate the keynote panel discussion on “AI Roundup: Navigating the Frontier of Innovation,” which you can see from the cover image. My sessions were “Mastering AI-Assisted Writing: From Blank Page to Impactful Content,” “Creating, Tracking, and Measuring Modern Surveys,” and the always-popular “20 Microsoft 365 Productivity Tips You Need to Know.”

While I did not attend Microsoft Ignite this year in San Francisco, I did dial into the keynotes and tried to stay on top of the major announcements as they rolled out. In fact. I’ll be participating in a panel discussion early next month (Dec 8th) with the MN365 User Group, if you’re interested.

Here’s the content I produced this month:

Events

As mentioned above, I spoke at TechCon365 Dallas, but also summarized some of the major announcements from Ignite.

• Lessons from the TechCon 365 Dallas Keynote Panel [blog]
• 5 SharePoint Takeaways from Microsoft Ignite 2025 [blog]

Random Thoughts

As per usual, a side conversation can lead to a blog post idea…

• Slides Are Dead, Long Live the Demo [blog]
• Commodity Content and the Thought Leadership Problem [blog]
• SharePoint’s Knowledge Agent [blog]

Project Failure Files

Sharon and I continue the weekly drama talking about all-things management and leadership from the perspective of what NOT to do. If you’re not yet following this series, you can find us on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook every Monday morning at 9am Pacific sharing experiences and providing guidance on how to improve your management skills.

• Project Failure Files: Not Focusing on Quality [blog | YouTube]
• Project Failure Files: Relying on Ad-Hoc Processes [blog | YouTube]
• Project Failure Files: Failing to Delegate [blog | YouTube]
• Project Failure Files: Ignoring Shadow IT [blog | YouTube]

CollabTalk and Guardians of M365 Governance

Only one CollabTalk Podcast before the holiday break. I’m taking a pause for a few weeks on the series, but it’ll be back in January with new guests. Guardians is closing in on our 2-year anniversary, with much more planned for this series, as well.

• CollabTalk Podcast | Episode 182 with Sean McDonough and Geoff Varosky [blog | YouTube | podcast]
• Summary of Guardians of M365 Governance Ep.23 [blog | YouTube]

AI Thought-Leadership

Most of my article ideas stem from client conversations. I’ve been running a lot of AI workshops this year (3 more starting up in mid-January), and they have been a great place to try out new ideas, and listen to feedback from end users, some of which I then further research and, in some cases, create a blog post.

• How AI Reflects What You Bring to It [Smarter Consulting]
• AI Is Coming for Your Job. Maybe. [blog]
• AI Companionship, and What It Cannot Replace [blog]
• Private AI vs Public AI: Where Should Your IP Live? [blog]
• Why using AI and Search are not the same [blog]

Content Strategy

My series continues to expand, with more already in the can for December, and plans for a book on the topic sometime next spring….if I can find the time.

• Content Strategy: Optimizing Your Content for the AI Era [blog]
• Content Strategy: Creating Your Content Operating Model [blog]
• Content Strategy: Optimizing the Newsletter [blog]
• Content Strategy: The 5 Metrics That Actually Matter [blog]

#MVPbuzzChat Interviews

Every Monday, another interview with a fellow MVP.

• #MVPbuzzChat 336 with Akanksha Malik [blog | YouTube]
• #MVPbuzzChat 337 with Chris Hinch [blog | YouTube]
• #MVPbuzzChat 338 with Markus Franz [blog | YouTube]
• #MVPbuzzChat 339 with Amelia Hernandez Osorio [blog | YouTube]

Music

Every Saturday I publish a deep dive into the catalogs of some of my favorite bands. If you enjoy discovering new artists, this series might be to your liking.

• Blue Plate Special: Keith Richie [blog]
• Blue Plate Special: The Faint [blog]
• Blue Plate Special: The Bravery [blog]
• Blue Plate Special: Talking Heads [blog]
• Blue Plate Special: Debra Fotheringham [blog]

Personal

And finally, a quick post on Thanksgiving.

• Thanksgiving: How We Got Here, And Why I’m Allowed To Eat This Much [blog]

And while I did not write a blog post about it, today is my 35th wedding anniversary….and I need to be on an airplane in a few hours. It’s Ok, my wife and I had our anniversary date and meal last night. I can’t believe it’s already been 35 years. Where does the time go…